Combination electrical socket, electromagnetic actuator and on-off switch



Aug. 10, 1965 L. D. CARR ETAL 3,200,220 COMBINATION ELECTRI CAL SOCKET,ELECTROMAGNETIC ACTUATOR AND ON-OFF SWITCH Filed March 28, 1965INVENTORS. LEON 0. CAR/P ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,2fitl,220C(JMBINATIDN ELECTRICAL S0KET, ELEC- TROMAGNETIC ACTUATOR AND (IN-OFFSWITCH Leon D. Carr, Bloomfield, Conn, and Willard E. Thompson,Woodhury, N.Y., assignors to Sperry Rand Corporation, Great Neck, N.Y.,a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 268,661

a 3 Claims. ({3 200-111) This invention relates to a combinationelectrical socket electromagnetic type in which the structure includesan axially movable armature actuator and electric switch of the on-oft"type. More particularly,

in the improved combination, the stationary switch parts are included asocket structure in which a plurality of elongated brushes are fixedlymounted at one of the ends thereof on an insulator base or frame. Theaxially movable element of the electromagnetic actuator is provided byan armature and insulator sleeve assembly in which the conductiveterminals included as a portion of the outer peripheral surface of thesleeve and the sleeve itself constitutes the other of the switch parts.As the brushes in the improved combination are stationary with respectto the armature, the operational life span of the switch is much greaterthan that found in structures of a similar type where the brushes movewith each operation of the armature.

An object of the present invention is to provide a miniature socket,actuator and switch combination of the character described in whichshock and vibration are reduced to a minimum by narrowly limiting theextent of the axial movement of the armature between its stop positions.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision in theimproved combination of a stationary switch part of elongated brushesthat are fixedly connected at one of their ends to an electrical socket.

Another feature of the invention is provided by the armature andinsulator sleeve structure of the electromagnetic actuator where thesleeve includes conductive terminals on a portion of its outerperipheral surface as the movable part of the on-otf switch.

Another feature of the invention resides in the inclusion of a spring asa component of the combination to bias the armature at one of its stopposition limits when the winding of the actuator is unenergized.

Still a further feature of the invention is provided by the cam andfollower structure of the respective sleeve and brush parts of theon-olf switch for lifting the free end of the brushes from theconductive terminals in a direction radial to the axis of the actuatorduring axial movement of the armature.

Other objects, features and structural details of the invention will beapparent from the following description with relation to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross sectional view showing a preferred embodimentof the improved combination electrical socket, electromagnetic actuatorand on-ofi" switch,

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2-2, in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a detail development view showing the curved surface of theswitch sleeve in FIG. 1 developed as a fiat surface, and

FIG. 4 is a partial view similar to FIG. 1 showing a modified embodimentof the brush and sleeve structure of the on-ofi switch of the improvedcombination.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the stationary socket of the improvedcombination includes a base or frame of insulator material anda cover 11of shielding material. Cover 11 is tubular in configuration with aclosing end wall 12 whose inside flat surface 13 provides one of thestops that determine the motion limits of the armature of the actuator.The open end of the tubular cover 11 is removably connected to the base10 by means of a suitable interfitting mechanical coupling between theparts. As shown in FIG. 1, the socket is mounted in a suitableelectrical outlet (not shown) by the male terminals 14 extending fromthe base or frame 10. The other of the stops for limiting the motion ofthe armature is provided in the structure shown in FIG. 1 by theinternal wall 15 of a projecting part 16 of the base 10 extending withinthe cover 11.

The actuator portion of the improved combination includes a magnetizabletubular core provided by the abutted parts 17 and 18, and a spool 19encircling the core with a winding 20. The actuator is operated byenergizing the winding 20 through a suitable external switching circuitto an electrical source (not shown) by way of two of the male terminals14. The winding 29 is accordingly electrically connected to two of theterminals 14 of the socket structure. The axis 21 of the produced fluxfield corresponds with the axial opening provided in the abuttingtubular core parts 17 and 18. In the illustrated embodiment of theinvention, the improved combination includes a pair of electricalswitches each of whose stationary switch parts includes two elongatedbrushes that are fixedly connected at one of their ends to one of theterminals 14 in the frame or base 10 of the socket structure. Therespective brushes indicated at 22, 2'3 and 24, 25 provide thestationary switch parts for each of the one-off switches represented.

The electromagnetic structure of the movable actuator of the improvedcombination includes a cylindrical armature 26 of magnetizable materialthat fits an axial opening in the core part 18. The movable switch partof the armature is provided by a cylindrical member or sleeve 27 of fluxshielding material having conducting and non-conducting parts with anend wall 28 that is fixedly connected to one of the ends of the armature26 by a suitable mechanical joint. The hollow cylindrical member 27 isarranged in the assembly in concentric relation to the axis 21 and inencircling relation to the winding 20. The sleeve described accordinglyprovides flux shielding for the winding 26 from sources of radiationexterior to the cover 11 other than that provided by the cover. Themovable structure shown in FIG. 1 further includes a bow spring 29 whichis mounted on the end wall 28 of the insulator 27 through the singlerivet joint shown connecting the individual parts together. As shown inFIG. 1, the armature 26 is biased in one of its stop positions by thespring 29 when the winding 20 is unenergized and a stop 30 provided byone of the ends of the armature 26 engages the stop wall 15. When thewinding of the actuator is energized, the armature moves axially untilthe rivet connection at the other end of the armature 26 abuts the wallstop 13 of the cover 11. The stop part of the movable armature engagingthe wall stop 13 of the socket structure is indicated at 31. The axialspacing between the fixed stop 13 and stop 31 determines the movement ortravel permitted the movable armature in the improved structure. Bynarrowly limiting the stroke of the movable armature through theprovided stops the effects of shock and vibration on the operational:life of the on-olf switch are minimized. In the arrangement described,the bias providing bow spring 29 is connected at its center part to themovable armature assembly with its respective free end parts slidablycontacting the inside end wall of the stationary cover 11 of the socket.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the insulatorsleeve part 27 of the on-off switch includes two conductive terminals 32and 33 arranged on the outside surface of the sleeve in switchingrelation to the respective brushes 22, 23 and brushes 24, 25. Here, theterminals 32 and 33 are curved metal strips that are attached to thesurface of the sleeve by known electroplating or other methods ofdeposition. on positions of the components shown in FIG. 3, the windingis unenergized and the free ends of the paired brushes 22, 23 contactthe strip terminal 32 to provide a closed electrical switch. Likewise,the pairedbrushes 24, 25 contact the strip terminal 33 to provide asecond closed electrical switch. The off position brushes 2.2 and 25 ofthe represented switches include a cam follower surface as indicated inFIG. 1 at 34. The related cam surface on the insulator sleeve 27includes a concave portion 35 in which the curved surface of the brushesfits when the free end contacts the conductive strips. When sleeve27.1noves with the armature assembly to its other limit position, thefollower surface 34 rises from the concave portion 35 to lift the freeends of the brushes In the from the respective terminals 32, 33 in adirection radial to the axis. This opens the respective electricalswitches of the relay when the armature is located at the other of itstravel limits with stops 13 and 31 engaged.

In the modification shown in FIG. 4, a further two switch type ofstructure is represented where the arrangement between the parts is suchthat one switch is open and one switchis closed in an unenergizedcondition of the winding. Here, the terminals of the switch parts areprovided by suitable curved bands 36, 37 of conducting material that arefitted in conforming grooves in the outer surface of a sleeve insulator38 that also includes a cam surface 39. A lift brush 40 for the terminal36 includes a follower surface 41 that with surface 39 opens theswitchin the unenergized condition of the winding. The brush 42 in FIG.4 for the other switch is lifted from the conductive band 37 when thearmature is moved to its other limit condition through the cooperationof the brush surface 43 and cam 39. The respec:

tive extending ends of the brushes of the improved structure are spacedradially from the axis 21 in contacting relation to the conductingterminals on the insulator sleeve at one of the limit positions of thearmature. The brush and sleeve structures include lifting means withrespective parts on the brush and insulator sleeve for raising the endof a brush from a conductive terminal in a direction radial to the axisduring movement of the armature. I

While the invention has been described in its preferred embodiments, itis to be understood that the words which have been used are Words ofdescription rather than of limitation and that changeswithin the purviewof the appended claims may be made without departing from the true scopeand spirit of the invention in its broader aspects. 7

What is claimed is:

1. A combination electrical socket, electromagnetic actuator and on-olfswitch including a socket having electrical terminals; an actuatorhaving a magnetizable core mounted on the socket with an openingconcentric to an axis, a winding on the core for providing a flux fieldalong the axis electrically connected to two of the socket terminals andan armature fitting the core opening movable between spaced positionsalong the axis in response to the flux field; an on-oif switch having anonconductive sleeve fixedly mounted on the armature with a side wallarranged in concentric relation to the axis and in encircling relationto the winding, a conductive terminal on a portion of the outerperipheral surface of the side wall of the sleeve, and an elongatedbrush with spaced ends, one end of which is fixedly mounted on thesocket and electrically connected to another socket terminal, and theother end of which contacts the conductive terminal of the sleeve at oneof the positions of the armature and contacts a portion of thenon-conductive peripheral surface of the side wall of the sleeve at theother of the armature positions; and cam and follower means withrespective parts on the brush and sleeve for lifting the end of thebrush from the conductive terminal in a direction radial to the axisduring movement of the armature.

2. In a combination electrical socket, electromagnetic actuator andon-oifswitch; a socket having electrical terminals; an actuator having amagnetizable spool fixedly mounted on the socket with an. axial opening,an energizable winding on the spool electrically connected to two of thesocketterminals providing a flux field along the axis thereof, 'anarmature fitting the axial opening in the spool movable between limitsalong the axis with relation to the socket; an on-off switch'having asleeve fixedly mounted on the movable armature in concentric relation tothe axis with non-conductive and conductive parts, and an elongatedbrush having an end fixedly mounted on the socket and electricallyconnected to another socket terminal, and an end spaced radially fromthe axis to contact one of the parts of the sleeve when the winding isenergized and to contact the other of the parts of the sleeve when thewinding is unenergized, and lifting means with, respective parts on thebrush and sleeve for raising the end of the brush from the sleeve in adirection radial to the axis during axial movement of the armature.

3. In a combination electrical socket, electromagnetic actuator andonoff switch; a socket having electrical terminals; an actuator having amagnetizable core fixedly mounted. on. the .socketwith an axial opening,an energizable winding on the core for providing a flux field along theaxis of the core, an armature fitting the axial opening in the coremovable along the axis with relation tothe socket; an on-oif switchhaving a cylindrical member with non-conductive and conductive partsfixedly mounted on the movable armature in concentric relation to theaxis, and an elongated brush with spaced ends, one end of which isfixedly mounted on the socket and electrically connected to one of theterminals, and the other end of which contacts one of the parts of thesleeve when the winding is energized and contacts the other of e theparts of the sleeve when the winding is unenergized, and lifting meanswith respective parts on the brush and member for raising the end of thebrush from the memher in a direction radial of the axis during axialmovement of the armature.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERTSCI-IAEFER, Acting Primary Examiner,

BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Eraminer,

1. A COMBINATION ELECTRICAL SOCKET, ELECTROMAGNETIC ACTUATOR AND ON-OFFSWITCH INCLUDING A SOCKET HAVING ELECTRICAL TERMINALS; AN ACTUATORHAVING A MAGNETIZABLE CORE MOUNTED ON THE SOCKET WITH AN OPENINGCONCENTRIC TO AN AXIS, A WINDING ON THE CORE FOR PPROVIDING A FLUX FIELDALONG THE AXIS ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO TWO OF THE SOCKET TERMINALS ANDAN ARMATURE FITTING THE CORE OPENING MOVABLE BETWEEN SPACED POSITIONSALONG THE AXIS IN RESPONSE TO THE FLUX FIELD; AN ON-OFF SWITCH HAVING ANONCONDUCTIVE SLEEVE FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON THE ARMATURE WITH A SIDE WALLARRANGED IN CONCENTRIC RELATION TO THE AXIS AND IN ENCIRCLING RELATIONTO THE WINDING, A CONDUCTIVE TERMINAL ON A PORTION OF THE OUTERPERIPHERAL SURFACE OF THE SIDE WALL OF THE SLEEVE, AND AN ELONGATEDBRUSH WITH SPACED ENDS, ONE OF WHICH IS FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON THE SOCKETAND ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO ANOTHER SOCKET TERMINAL, AND THE OTHER ENDOF WHICH CONTACTS THE CONDUCTIVE TERMINAL OF THE SLEEVE AT ON OF THEPOSITIONS OF THE ARMATURE AND CONTACTS A PORTION OF THE NON-CONDUCTIVEPERIPHERAL SURFACE OF THE SIDE WALL OF THE SLEEVE AT THE OTHER OF THEARMATURE POSITIONS; AND CAM AND FOLLOWER MEANS WITH RESPECTIVE PARTS ONTHE BRUSH AND SLEEVE FOR LIFTING THE END OF THE BRUSH FROM THECONDUCTIVE TERMINAL IN A DIRECTION RADIAL TO THE AXIS DURING MOVEMENT OFTHE ARMATURE.